CM thanks PN govt for Miri Hospital building extension project
The current Miri Hospital has to be upgraded to create more space to raise beds capacity, medical expertise, manpower increment and support services to meet the needs of the increasing number of people in Miri and northern Sarawak region. Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg
MIRI: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg gave the thumbs-up to the federal government for the RM289.2 million Miri Hospital building extension project.
Speaking at the earth-breaking ceremony for the project yesterday, he said Miri Hospital had been identified to become the hub hospital for the northern region with the addition of 328 beds and other facilities available when it is completed by Oct 18, 2023.
Once completed, he added, it can cater for the increasing population of northern Sarawak which is projected to reach 789,376 by 2025 based on 1.3 per cent growth rate.
“The current Miri Hospital has to be upgraded to create more space to raise beds capacity, medical expertise, manpower increment and support services to meet the needs of the increasing number of people in Miri and northern Sarawak region,” he said.
Abang Johari said the state will continue to improve its physical and digital infrastructures in order to complement the plan to make Miri Hospital as the medical hub for the state’s northern region.
He said the state’s road network in the region would be increased to act as the ‘ spokes’ that would link smaller places like in Marudi, Baram and Bekenu with the hub to facilitate be er access to health care and services.
He also said a new road would be completed by 2025 to link Sarawak’s two northmost districts, Limbang and Lawas, which would shorten the travelling time to the city.
“With a shorter journey, this ( new road) will definitely facilitate the task of transporting sick patients from the two districts to Miri Hospital,” he said.
Abang Johari said Sarawak’s medical services would also benefit from the digital infrastructure development currently carried out by the state government which had allocated RM1 billion for such development.
“Even the medical (services) development had changed now with the introduction of telemedicine and through good digital infrastructure, we could link smaller hospitals with bigger hospitals (via telecommunication lines), thus improving the medical services for the community in the interiors,” he said.
He thanked the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government for proceeding with the project following a 22-month delay under the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government which collapsed in February this year.
Earlier, Minister of Works Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof, in his speech, said the extended Miri Hospital will be environmentfriendly with the application of Malaysian Carbon Reduction and Environmental Sustainability Tool (MyCREST) which serves as a guide to reduce carbon emissions and the environmental impact of building construction in a holistic manner.
To accelerate construction, it will be built using Industrial Building System.
Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said when the extension project is completed, Miri Hospital will have the emergency department, specialists clinic, general surgical ward (84 beds), paediatric ward (84 beds), obstetric ward (88 beds), First Class (20 beds), ICU & PICU ( 16 beds), NICU & special care nursery (32 beds) and it will have additional buildings equipped with four theatres for general operations and two for maternity operations.